


In the Beginning

by EMR2



Category: Roswell New Mexico (TV 2019)
Genre: Alternate Origin Story, Angst, Angsty Schmoop, F/M, Gen, Light Smut, M/M, Schmoop
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-27
Updated: 2019-01-27
Packaged: 2019-10-17 17:39:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,208
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17565017
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EMR2/pseuds/EMR2
Summary: I'm terrible at titles... Origin story for our Mikey G. and Alex M.Loads of wordstuffs and I'm not done yet.





	1. In the desert

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, time for an origin story – because why not. Soon the writers will fill us in and this little plot bunny will twist and die on the ground alone and I can’t leave it there so here you go. 
> 
> Gonna be switching between Alex and Michael’s POV – because they’re both adorable and I’m obsessed. Breaking my heart already –
> 
> And I’ll be doing it in Second Voice because I love it. 
> 
> I suspect I’ll be doing the same for Max and Liz at some point because they’re adorable too but right now, it’s all about…Malex? Mix? Ganes? LMK what the deal is, guys…
> 
> Also, thanks for reading if you do, because I am an ABSOLUTE LAZY SLOB, there is no beta. I will try to police myself, but I appreciate any and all voluntary beta-ing in the comments, e.g. – “there’s no “e” in that word, doofus” etc. etc. Kudos to all of you for enduring it. 
> 
> **and BTW this is MASSIVE. It still isn’t done apparently but I’m tired and I wanted to get this out before Tuesday ruins the POV I’m selling. 
> 
> Ratings will change from Gen to M to explicit

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> POV from adorable mop-topped baby Michael.
> 
> Rated G

Your first memory is stepping out of bright colorful warmth into the dark. It feels awful, you try to get back into the beautiful place you’ve been sleeping but it won’t let you back. You fidget and your foot slips onto a rock. It’s rough and it hurts and you’re cold and you start crying – when you hear a familiar voice in your head - “it’s okay!”

Then a girl gives you a hug.

The tall, dark-haired boy smiles at you and pats your shoulder. He is scared too, but he tries to make you feel better. It’s annoying. What does he know that you don’t? Like you, the girl is crying but she still hugs you and that helps. The boy nods at you and you hear him in your mind. “Let's find help.”

You cling tightly to each other as you walk away from the bright warm pods and out into the darkness.

Everything is scary here. There are strange noises, strange sounds. You hold each other’s hands tightly because you’re all any of you have. You walk. On and on and soon there is more cold, but less darkness. You can start to see shadows taking shape.

The boy points towards weird lights floating in the distance.

“Help?” he thinks at you and you realize he’s asking your opinion. You nod – but the girl is afraid. “Are you okay?” you think at her and she nods quickly. "It's all so strange." 

You head for the floating lights. The shadows around take shape as rocks and plants, and finally, large pillars that hold lights. Up in front of you, there’s a metallic stick with a flat metallic triangle attached.

It is a color – yellow – and there is writing on it. You let go of your friends and walk over to it, curiosity overriding fear.

It's the first bright color you've seen since you left the pods.

There is loud honk and a sharp screech. You flinch and wave the danger away but there is a loud crumpling sound. The pole is crushed. You're sad-you only wanted to look at it. Then you hear a panicked shout in your mind – “he’s hurt!”

You turn to look and the other boy is climbing onto a large vehicle that has skidded to a stop behind you. There is a big person inside, but he isn't awake and you can tell by the way his head is tilted he must have hit it against something. 

The other boy sits with the man, holding his hand and you heard a loud hum. You look at the girl and looks more concerned than you. She shuts her eyes and concentrates and the hum increases.

The big person twitches and sits up. He looks at the other boy who has collapsed beside him, concerned.

“Hey, little fella, what are you doing out here, all naked? Did some pervert take you?” The man speaks with his mouth and it is loud, almost offensive to you. He looks at your friend concerned, he is doubly so when the boy points to you and the girl.

“Jesus – “The man shakes his head. He pulls off his own shirt and puts it on the girl.

“We gotta get you kids safe.” He reaches into the back of the truck and comes out with a jacket for the boy and a blanket for you. He helps you all into the front seat of his truck and he puts it in gear. It grinds a little but then you’re on your way.

The man stops to buy you all juice and something he calls Cheetos (“you kids are probably starving,”) he buys a few other things too. One of them is a bottle with a delicious smelling liquid and you know, you just know deep in your bones, that if the other boy drinks it, he will feel a lot better. You take the bottle and open it, getting ready to pour it into the other boy’s mouth when the man – the “Trucker” everyone calls him later – grabs it back from you.

“Hey kid, are you crazy? That nail polish remover is for my wife. It will kill your friend” You yell at the man that he is stupid, that the delicious drink will only make your friend stronger – but of course, he doesn’t hear you.

He's so loud with his talking mouth that he can only listen with his ears and it looks like everyone on this stupid planet does the same thing. It’s so tiring and it’s so noisy you sleep from sheer exhaustion. You sleep until you pull into a "police station". The man you meet there, “the Sheriff” is suspicious at first but the Trucker gives them his home phone number and they call his wife.

People try to talk to you, the other boy and the girl but give up.

They send you all to a nice home, a lady from the police station who says that all her children are grown and away. She’s happy to sit for you. She feeds you all and gives you clothes and gives you each a room.

You get “Sherri’s room” and you like it. The lady is apologetic about all the ruffles and ribbons but you like it – it’s pretty and colorful like your pod and you find two bottles of that delicious drink in the drawer. You run over to the room with the other boy – you’re not upset that he gets the big room but you are upset that the girl was already there, tucked under the covers. You feel left out but the boy smiles and flicks the covers open on the other side. You crawl in and proudly offer your treats.

You give the boy the first drink. He needs it. He’s tired. Whatever he did to help the man wore him out. You make him drink the whole bottle and you split the other bottle with the girl. She insists that you drink first. You realize then that you’re tired, yourself. You drink precisely half and give the rest to her.

One night stretches into a week.

You like staying with the nice lady from the Police station. You all want to stay longer, but the courts won’t let you. She isn’t a licensed foster care provider (whatever that means) and it will take too much time for her to become one.

The court decides to send you to a group home. Before you go, she sits you all down and helps you pick names. The other boy chooses first - he takes Max, the name of her late husband.. The girl goes next - she chooses Isabel, the lady's name. All the good names are gone and you feel sad until the lady suggests Michael, who was her oldest son. She tells you he died a great hero, sacrificing for the country. She says your stubbornness reminds her of him. For some reason this makes you laugh and you take his name, gratefully.

The day you leave, you all cry until the lady from the new home makes fun of you. “What are you crybabies? We’ve got a bunch of crybabies, John.” The driver looks sympathetically at you over his shoulder but the woman only rolls her eyes.

Her name is Mrs. Long, and she has a daughter a little older than you and a son a little younger. She tells you that neither is a crybaby. She isn’t mean precisely, but she makes you feel shame.

You don’t like Mrs. Long.

They separate you in the home, and you hate it. They send you in classes to learn to speak but you don’t want to. Max pleads with you, “Come on Michael. They’re only trying to help us.” But you don’t trust them. These people are stupid. There are a lot of very simple things wrong around the group home, broken viewer, bad lighting but when you tried to fix them the woman – Mrs. Long - said you were a trouble-maker and sent you to stand in the corner.

And it’s so loud, they’re all so loud with their noisy voices. Why can’t these stupid people communicate the right way? It’s so much easier.

You finally speak the day they take Max and Izzy away.

“No” you shout as the smiling people walk them down the hall away from you. “No!” you shout again, tears flowing. You want to crush everything. <i> I’m gonna crush everything!</i> you think as the building begins to shake but Max shakes his head. “No!” he thinks “Don’t Michael! Be good and we will find you. We will always find you.” He promises.

Isobel looks back at you, tears in her eyes. Mr. and Mrs. Evans have given them both a new stuffed toy – Izzy looks at her new mother, pleading and the kindly woman nods as she runs back to you, hugs you and gives you her stuffed toy. You watch blinded by tears as they drive off.

Mrs. Long is surprisingly friendly. “There you go, she gave you that nice toy! You’re gonna be fine.” She chides gently.

She puts you to bed early and you cry all night.

It’s your fault, you know it. There has always been something different, something wrong with you and apparently, it was obvious because Mr. and Mrs. Evans didn’t take you too.

When Mrs. Long comes to get you in the morning, you’re still sad. Tear-stained face and blotchy and she sighs.

“Oh come on kid” She ruffles your hair. “They’re not really your family anyway, are they? Not with these thick curls of yours.“ She means to be kind, you know this – but when she steps away to wake the rest of the house up, you find scissors and shear off all your hair.

Mrs. Long takes your toy away and makes you stand in the corner for the entire day.


	2. I See You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alex's POV this time - 17 year old, horny musical Alex

You’re pretty positive you’re gay. 

In fact, you’re almost one hundred percent sure but you’ve been trying, desperately, to ignore the signs. You blocked out that terrible year in junior high when you were obsessed by Kyle and his newly “footballed” body and you’ve moved on. 

You have a girlfriend now. Tonight, you are out on a date with Maria at the Wild Pony, and you’ve convinced yourself you’re ready to take it further. 

After all, you can appreciate the fact that she is beautiful. She’s also quirky and funny and, good for her, she’s ordering lots of alcohol at the bar. It’s a good thing. Maria’s family owns the bar, but she is “officially” banned from drinking. Luckily her sympathetic cousin Chulli is working and even though both your fake IDs are terrible, they also have conveniently strange names, so Chulli can swear he didn’t serve Maria DeLuca or Alex Manes at all. 

Chulli is willing to overlook a lot. You spot Michael Guerin at the bar and he is as seventeen as you and Maria but there he is, sitting at the bar, bold as brass, downing a double whiskey. An attractive older woman makes a gesture for another round and you side-eye Guerin when you realize she’s his date. Guerin’s such a cliché, he would boldly flaunt his sugar mama to the sad little townies who always treat him like crap. 

You square your jaw and look in the opposite direction. It doesn’t matter what he does or doesn’t do. Just because Guerin has replaced Kyle in your dreams recently, doesn’t mean that you can forget the beautiful woman who is grabbing your drinks.

Guerin is a distraction, that’s all. You can focus and get past this. Get past the broad shoulders and well-toned physique that he’s developed working day-labor jobs at the Foster Ranch. You can get past the handsome face and strong jaw. It’s hard but you can even get past the abundant curls that spill across his forehead in inviting whirls. 

The acerbic wit and the brilliant mind are harder to ignore. But you manage. Avoiding contact all together. All in all, you could avoid Michael Guerin if it wasn’t for one thing. 

Those beautiful eyes. Hazel eyes with flecks of gold and green, and warm copper that lit up when he was amused. Or iced over when he was sad. Or worse.

You saw worse at school when he overheard Maria calling him trash. You and Liz laughed, like you always did but for some reason you looked up and you saw the wound in those beautiful hazel eyes. Most of the time Guerin posed and faked a bravado that had made everyone in town believe that he only cared what Izzy and Max thought – but you saw at that moment, how very lonely and very hurt Guerin was. 

You locked eyes with him, trying to convey that you didn’t mean it, none of you meant it, it was stupid teenage bravado and Maria wasn’t terrible, she was joking – but his eyes iced over and he stalked away. 

You spotted him later in the cafeteria, sitting alone, off in a corner – Izzy was at the popular table surrounded by her acolytes, though you spotted a few concerned glances. 

Max wasn’t joining him either. Liz had extended her lab session through lunch and of course lovestruck puppy Max Evans had opted to skip lunch to keep her company. 

Guerin was on his own. You walk over and sit down at his table. Guerin looks up in surprise, wide-eyed, then shrugs it off. 

“Little Alex Manes, feeling guilty? Don’t bother-we’re good.” Little? Who is he to call you little, you’re almost the same height. You’re about to protest when you spot the smirk. An attempt at a distraction. Trying to avoid the conversation.  
Doesn’t matter. You hate that slightly broken look in his eyes. You double down. “I want to apologize.”

“No need. It’s not the first time I’ve heard it.” He grins suddenly, bravado restored. “and it won’t be the last – not if I have anything to say about it.” He winks at you.

“You’re not trash, Guerin.” He needed to hear the truth, even if it was only this once. 

“How do you know, Manes? Huh?” He stares boldly back at you, eyes wide and guileless. “You don’t know me.”

“I have eyes,” you grit out, focusing on controlling this sudden need to grab his hand. “You’re brilliant, as you well know, you can go anywhere you want, do anything you want.” 

Guerin rolls his eyes and shrugs it off, clearly uncomfortable with compliments or at least compliments from you.

“You’re not exactly homely” you flush as you admit that but you rush on before he can do anything more than quirk an eyebrow at you. “You’re loyal as fuck too.” Now it’s your turn to grin as he turns back, startled. “It’s pretty clear to me that you stay here for Isobel and Max, though why that is, I don’t know because most of the time, they don’t even sit with you at lunch.”

Guerin’s jaw flexes at the hint of criticism of the two Evans siblings. The warm hazel eyes start to ice over. “I don’t need anyone’s pity, Manes.” 

“No, you don’t. And that is not what this is. I’m just apologizing and letting you know that I see you. I see the real you and you are not trash. Far from it.” You’re embarrassed now and you stand up awkwardly, finally dragging your eyes away from his. 

You walk over to your regular table where Maria and Jasmine have set up camp. Maria rolls her eyes at you and grabs your arm to join them.

Later that day you saw Guerin in the hallways, lurking behind, keeping his distance but – You turn around and he doesn’t flinch. He is watching. 

Dammit. You should know better than to flirt with Guerin’s intelligence. It was ferocious and well ahead of anyone else’s in the school. If anyone could figure it out, it would be Guerin. 

Hence the date with Maria tonight. 

Maria is always grabbing you. This time she drags you over to a booth in the corner that is a little cut off – a little private and then, she hits you with it. 

“Okay, Manes – spill it. I love you, but I don’t care. You won’t hurt my feelings.” Your stomach dropped as you realized what she was saying. “You’re in a safe place Manes, so admit it. You’ll feel so much better.”

“Admit what?” you smile, cockily – though inwardly you’re screaming in panic.

“Don’t ask don’t tell, is that it?” She says archly. You swallow back the bolt of panic. 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” You smile tightly. 

“Come on, Alex – you don’t like me.” She smiles gently.

“Au Contraire – I love you.” 

“Yes” she cuffs you on the shoulder “and I love you but we’re not in love.” She smiles gently at you and you can’t hold it. You look away only to meet Michael Guerin’s curious glance from the bar. He takes in the situation with a glance, and a quirked eyebrow. That’s what you get for pulling a thorn out of a tiger’s paw. A pissed off tiger prowling around, ready to hit back. 

“I know what it’s like to be wanted by someone, Alex and what we have isn’t it.” 

You knew this moment was coming – but still, she’s destroyed you. You’ve been obvious enough that Maria could figure it out. Who else could tell? Your heart clenches in fear.

“Sorry, I don’t know what – “You try again, your voice shaking and she shakes her head and laughs.

“Okay, okay! I give up!” She hugs you (purely platonically). “Let’s get shitfaced and figured it all out tomorrow!” She runs back up to the bar and gets two more shots. Guerin passes by, on his way to the can and he gives you a look. 

“You alright, Manes?” You look up and give him a disdainful glare, but you realize your eyes are watering, (Are you? You’re not – but it feels kind of like you’re almost crying). You rub them quickly. 

“I’m fine.” 

“Bad breakup?” Guerin presses on, only to be interrupted by Maria’s laugh at the bar as Chulli cracks a joke as he pours your next shots. 

“Obviously not.” You smile coolly at him. 

“So, you get all my secrets, but I get none of yours.” He spars coolly. You feel yourself smirking, channeling Guerin’s cockiness back at him.  
“That’s right.” You stare at him from the veil of your eyelashes. Guerin stops, catches his breath. Did you just flirt with him? Ohmygod, you did. The stupid alcohol. You look deliberately down at your hands. 

“Guerin! Shoo! Go play with your Nanna at the bar.” Maria brushes him off. Guerin smirks at her and strolls off slowly, letting her know that he was leaving, but only because he wanted to.  
You catch your breath and you look up at her. She some bright neon green liquid in a pitcher.  
“Oh my god, no.” you mutter as she starts pouring the shots. 

An hour later you’re both beyond shit-faced, even though you’re only an inch down on the pitcher. You rest your head on the table and then you look up.

“Yes.” You admit it. You hope she won’t press you any further than that. “Yes.”

Oddly she squeals and claps her hands. “Let’s celebrate!” you shake your head and drop it on the table. 

“We’ve celebrated, we’ve been celebrating since we got here.” You protest weakly. 

“but you’re out now!” she beams happily. 

“No,” you protest “please don’t share with folks. I don’t want everyone to – “

“Oh.” She pouts.” I suppose, yeah”

“You can tell Liz – but that’s it.” 

Maria claps again, happy for you and happy for the universe in some weird strange way. 

“We still have to celebrate. CHULLI!” she shouts “Turn off the jukebox!”

“Oh NO!” You bury your face in your hands. 

There are a few protests at the bar, one very vocal one from Guerin. “Hey! I just put five bucks in.” 

“Which is precisely why we’re shutting it off” Maria snarks, even as she slides a five over to him. He pockets it with a smirk as you glare chidingly at him. He hasn’t been anywhere near the jukebox all night. You narrow your eyes - he winks back.

You know what’s coming next. Maria runs out to your truck and grabs your guitar. The few patrons at the bar are glaring at you wondering what the big deal is. Guerin is also staring – his eyes wide with questions

“Okay, get up there and play me a song!” Maria waves to the stage. 

“I thought you said a celebration, not a punishment.” You try to snark as Maria drags you up there. 

“Shut up! You know you love it.” She snarks back. At this time the other patrons are grumbling.  
Maria turns around and shushes them. 

“Ladies and gentlemen your patience please. This is a coming out party!” You freeze - daggers of panic and pain slicing their way through your chest. Guerin hops up out of his chair, seemingly ready to rescue you but Maria laughs. “Today Alex Manes admits the shocking truth! He is a… MUSICIAN!” She declares happily to the room.

“I’m gonna murder you. I’m gonna murder you slowly and painfully. No one will find the body.” You mutter into her ear. She laughs happily. 

“Sorry, I couldn’t resist!” she giggles as she hops off the stage. You tune your guitar a little while you try to catch your breath. 

You look up and everyone’s staring, including Guerin. Unlike the others he seems to be genuinely curious, almost…hopeful. You catch your breath and look down again. 

“This song is for my EX girlfriend.” You wave toward Maria and the room laughs appreciatively.  
You find the cords – and strum gently. The entire room erupts in laughter when they hear the first lyrics:

_This is our last goodbye I hate to feel the love between us die_  
But it's over  
Just hear this and then i'll go You gave me more to live for More than you'll ever know 

It’s hard to maintain the laughter because whatever else the song is, it’s beautiful. You look over at Guerin, who seems transfixed. His beautiful eyes wide with emotion.You blush, but you meet his gaze.

, _This is our last embrace_  
Must I dream and always see your face  
Why can't we overcome this wall Well, maybe it's just because i didn't know you at all 

Guerin must know. The clues are all there. Especially after you just flirted with him at the table. You’re waiting for that moment of disgust/repulsion or god forbid – mockery.

He stands up, ditching his date at the bar and he strolls over to stand beside Maria, his eyes unwavering from you.

 

_Kiss me, please kiss me_  
But kiss me out of desire, babe, and not consolation  
You know it makes me so angry 'cause i know that in time I'll only make you cry, this is our last goodbye

It could be your hazy eyes, but you think you see Guerin’s hand shake as he empties his glass. He stays standing beside Maria. Listening.  
_Did you say, "No, this can't happen to me"_  
Did you rush to the phone to call  
Was there a voice unkind in the back of your mind  
Saying maybe you didn't know him at all  
You didn't know him at all, oh oh, ya didn't know  
Ooo didn't know

You’re a little lightheaded as you finish up. You’re not sure if it’s singing in front of strangers for the first time, or if it’s the alcohol or the intense look in Guerin’s eyes, but you’re not completely steady as you finish so when you get a standing ovation from the other patrons in the bar, you’re surprised, almost as if it was an out of body experience. 

You hop down from the stage, and you feel a flash of heat as Guerin’s hand steadies you. This is what he feels like, you think to yourself and you turn back to Maria, desperate not to give yourself away anymore. 

Guerin smirks and lets you go. “Not bad, Manes, not bad.” He mutters into your ear. “I see you now, too.” 

He walks out, leaving his disappointed date at the bar, and you confused about what he meant.

“Eek, someone got Guerin’d” Maria pours you another drink. 

Despite your inebriated state you don’t sleep at all that night. You toss and turn, tearing apart the looks, the words you’d exchanged. 

Two days later you’re at the museum afterhours researching some details for your Dad when you spot him. He’s in his janitor’s uniform, but he’s not cleaning. He’s staring at a strange piece of metal, petting it and for a moment you imagine the metal pets him back, colors changing/morphing under his touch. 

But you spot the colored lights overhead and you realize it’s just a special effect. You’re losing your mind, you assure yourself. That’s what it has to be. 

Not everything in the world was enchanted by Michael Guerin. 

No. A little voice muttered in your head. That’s just you.


End file.
